Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An apparatus for displaying stereo elemental images, comprising: two coupled eyepieces, each of the two eyepieces including: a curved screen to display a plurality of elemental images; and a curved lens array concentrically displaced in front of the curved screen to magnify the elemental images, wherein each of the plurality of elemental images is magnified by a different lens in the curved lens array, wherein the curved lens array includes a dynamic or switchable lens array to vary a virtual image distance, and wherein each of the elemental images are mapped for each of a stereo view from a virtual surface of pixels by: selecting a projection center, for each elemental image, from a range of locations along a line extending through an eye center and a lens center of the different lens in the curved lens array that magnifies the corresponding elemental image; finding a first projection of each pixel of each elemental image onto a corresponding virtual image pixel of one of a plurality of curved virtual images, the first projection to pass through the lens center of the different lens that magnifies the corresponding elemental image; and finding a second projection of each virtual image pixel associated with each first projection of each pixel of each elemental image, the second projection to pass through the projection center onto one of a plurality of virtual image planes at different virtual distances.
This invention relates to a stereo display apparatus designed to present high-quality 3D images to a user. The apparatus addresses the challenge of providing accurate depth perception and minimizing visual discomfort in stereoscopic displays by dynamically adjusting the virtual image distance and optimizing image projection geometry. The apparatus includes two coupled eyepieces, each containing a curved screen that displays multiple elemental images and a curved lens array positioned in front of the screen. The lens array magnifies each elemental image through a distinct lens, ensuring precise alignment between the images and the user's eyes. The lens array is dynamic or switchable, allowing the virtual image distance to be adjusted for improved depth rendering. The system maps each elemental image to a stereo view by selecting a projection center for each image from a range of positions along a line connecting the eye center and the lens center of the corresponding magnifying lens. Each pixel of an elemental image is first projected onto a virtual image pixel of a curved virtual image, passing through the lens center. The virtual image pixel is then projected again onto a virtual image plane at a selectable distance, passing through the projection center. This dual-projection method enhances depth accuracy and reduces visual artifacts, improving the overall 3D viewing experience. The dynamic lens array further enables real-time adjustments to the virtual image distance, adapting to different content or user preferences.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array includes a lens array pitch and a display spacing optimized for a target perceived resolution, a target field of view, and a target total thickness, given an existing display pixel pitch.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array includes a heterogeneous array of freeform lenses.
A system for optical imaging or light manipulation uses a curved lens array to control light paths. The array includes a heterogeneous arrangement of freeform lenses, meaning the lenses have non-uniform shapes and optical properties across the array. This design allows precise customization of light redirection, focusing, or dispersion based on specific spatial requirements. The freeform lenses can vary in curvature, thickness, and surface profile to optimize performance for applications such as imaging systems, displays, or lighting devices. By integrating lenses with different geometries, the system achieves improved control over light distribution, reducing aberrations and enhancing efficiency compared to uniform lens arrays. The heterogeneous arrangement enables tailored solutions for complex optical challenges, such as correcting distortions or achieving uniform illumination across a wide field of view. This approach is particularly useful in advanced optical systems where traditional lens designs are insufficient.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array includes a flat section, a cylindrically curved section, or any combination thereof.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array includes a patterned design, wherein principal planes of lenses of the patterned design are replicated along an arc of a curvature radius based on an eyeball radius, an eye relief, and a lens thickness.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array and the curved screen include a spherical curvature curved in two dimensions to reduce off-axis aberrations.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved screen and the curved lens array are mechanically paired to change a lens array-to-display spacing while preserving concentricity.
Display technology. This invention relates to an apparatus for a display system that includes a curved screen and a curved lens array. The problem addressed is maintaining optimal optical performance while allowing for adjustment of the spacing between the lens array and the display screen. The apparatus comprises a curved screen and a curved lens array. These two components are mechanically coupled. This mechanical pairing is configured such that the spacing between the lens array and the curved screen can be adjusted. Critically, this adjustment of spacing is achieved while ensuring that the lens array remains concentric with the curved screen. This preserves the optical alignment and prevents distortion or aberrations that could arise from misalignment during spacing changes.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein both the curved lens array and the curved screen include mechanically flexible surfaces.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array includes a planar surface that has been flexed or thermo-formed into a curved design.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved lens array is replaceable.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a lens of the curved lens array is electrically focus-tunable or dynamically switchable.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a viewing zone with a box width based on a distance from an eye rotation center.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an eye position tracker to track a position of an eye of a user and a viewing zone including a box width at each pupil based on a distance from an eye rotation center or an error of margin of the eye position tracker.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an eye relief limit that is based on a shape of a viewing zone of the apparatus.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved screen includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
A curved display apparatus is designed to provide an immersive viewing experience by conforming to a curved surface. The apparatus includes a curved screen that enhances visual engagement by reducing distortion and improving peripheral vision. The screen is mounted on a support structure that maintains its curvature while allowing flexibility in positioning. The apparatus may also include a housing to protect the screen and support structure, along with adjustable mounting mechanisms to accommodate different installation environments. In this specific embodiment, the curved screen utilizes an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology, which offers high contrast, deep blacks, and energy efficiency. OLED displays emit light individually from each pixel, eliminating the need for a backlight and enabling thinner, more flexible designs. This technology enhances the visual quality of the curved screen, making it suitable for applications such as automotive dashboards, aviation displays, or high-end consumer electronics where clarity and immersion are critical. The apparatus may also incorporate additional features like touch sensitivity or adaptive brightness control to further improve user interaction. The combination of a curved form factor and OLED technology provides a superior visual experience compared to traditional flat-panel displays.
16. A method for generating elemental images, comprising: obtaining, via a processor, an image to be presented and a virtual distance from eyes of a viewer; rendering, via the processor, a stereo view of the image for each of the eyes at a virtual surface located at the virtual distance; mapping, via the processor, pixels for each stereo view from the virtual surface to elemental images of a per-eye display using a per-lens projection model, wherein the mapping of the pixels for each stereo view from the virtual surface to the elemental images includes: selecting a projection center, for a first elemental image of the elemental images, from a range of locations along a line extending through an eye center and a lens center of a first lens in a lens array, the first lens associated with the first elemental image; finding a first projection of each pixel of the first elemental image onto a corresponding virtual image pixel of one of a plurality of curved virtual images, the first projection to pass through the lens center of the first lens that magnifies the first elemental image; and finding a second projection of each virtual image pixel associated with each first projection of each pixel of the first elemental image, the second projection to pass through the projection center onto one of a plurality of virtual image planes at different virtual distances; pre-warping, via the processor, the elemental images based on a per-lens distortion model to compensate for a lens distortion; and sending, via the processor, the pre-warped elemental images to a head mounted display to be displayed.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mapping of the pixels is performed using a pixel shader.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the virtual surface includes a plane.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the virtual surface includes a cylindrical surface or a piecewise linear approximation of a cylindrical surface.
20. The method of claim 16 , further including receiving eye tracking data, wherein the rendering of the stereo views or the mapping of the pixels includes using multi-resolution shading.
21. The method of claim 16 , further including receiving eye tracking data, wherein the rendering of the stereo views includes using foveated rendering.
22. The method of claim 16 , further including tracing rays for a plurality of eye parameters based on a design of the head mounted display and an eye model to generate a mapping between a screen of the head mounted display and a retina of each of the eyes and storing the mapping in a look-up table.
23. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to being executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to: obtain an image to be presented and a virtual distance from eyes of a viewer; render a stereo view of the image for each of the eyes at a virtual surface located at the virtual distance; map pixels for each stereo view from the virtual surface to elemental images of a per-eye display using a per-lens projection model, wherein, to map the pixels for each stereo view, the computing device is to: select a projection center, for a first elemental image of the elemental image, from a range of locations along a line extending through an eye center and a lens center of a first lens in a lens array, the first lens associated with the first elemental image; find a first projection of each pixel of the first elemental image onto a corresponding virtual image pixel of one of a plurality of curved virtual images, the first projection to pass through the lens center of the first lens that magnifies the first elemental image; and find a second projection of each virtual image pixel associated with each first projection of each pixel of the first elemental image, the second projection to pass through the projection center onto one of a plurality of virtual image planes at different virtual distances; pre-warp the elemental images based on a per-lens distortion model to compensate for a lens distortion; and send the pre-warped elemental images to a head mounted display to be displayed.
24. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the instructions cause the computing device to estimate an eye parameter in real-time using an eye pupil tracker and retrieve a mapping from a look-up table based on the estimated eye parameter, wherein the mapping is used to generate the elemental images.
25. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mapping of the pixels for each stereo view from the virtual surface to the elemental images further includes fetching a color point from a virtual image plane and setting the color point as an elemental image pixel.
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March 16, 2021
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